FDA Warns Consumers About Dark Chocolate

WASHINGTON -- A recent study by the Food and Drug Administration found that 59% of dark chocolate products in the U.S. contain trace amounts of milk. And consumers can't always tell that's the case simply by reading the food label, the FDA said.

"This can be a problem, since even one small bite of a product containing milk can cause a dangerous reaction in some individuals," researcher Binaifer Bedford, M.S., an Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education fellow, said in an FDA statement.

Dark chocolate has been heralded as a way to enjoy delicious chocolate flavor without milk. However, the FDA test of more than 100 dark chocolate bars revealed that many of them contained undeclared milk. While likely unintentional, this contamination could happen when a dark chocolate product shares equipment with a milk or white chocolate product.

What does the FDA suggest consumers do? Just be vigilant. Anyone allergic to milk should be aware that a high proportion of tested dark chocolates contained milk, the FDA said.

Click here to see the FDA's consumer update titled "Milk-Allergic? There May Be Milk in That Dark Chocolate."